Noda Pay: Turning a Blind Eye to Illegal Gambling Payments?

Noda Pay warrants scrutiny where payment infrastructure may intersect with unlicensed gambling activity. This investigation distinguishes confirmed commercial relationships from allegations and does not infer unlawful conduct without evidence.

Related Malta Media coverage appears in our investigations, payment service providers analysis and gambling regulation reporting. Official context is available from the Financial Conduct Authority, the FATF and the UK Gambling Commission.

Noda Pay payment oversight analysis

Noda Pay should be assessed through merchant due diligence, documented payment flows and the regulatory obligations applicable to financial intermediaries.

It’s always refreshing when a payment provider actually bothers to respond to inquiries about its involvement in questionable transactions. Most don't. So, let’s give credit where it’s due; Noda Pay at least answered our emails. But that’s where the praise ends!

Noda Pay, a payment service provider regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), has found itself entangled in the murky waters of unlicensed online gambling. The company’s services were recently linked to Versus Odds B.V. and Arteluna Limited, two entities operating under the dubious jurisdiction of Curaçao while targeting players in regulated markets like the UK, Germany, Malta and Sweden, without a proper license.

When confronted about this, Noda Pay did what every self-respecting compliance-challenged payment provider does: they played the victim.

The “We Didn’t Know” Defense

In their email response, Noda Pay’s support team assured us they had no idea their services were being used for such purposes. According to them, a “white label partner” deceived their risk team about the nature of these transactions.

That’s a neat excuse, but here’s the problem: shouldn't a regulated payment provider be performing its own due diligence before allowing its systems to process payments for an operation engaged in illegal gambling? The fact that Noda Pay’s risk team was allegedly “misled” only raises further questions about their internal controls, or lack thereof.

Even more absurd is their immediate request for our proof of identity and proof of address, as if we were the ones operating illegal casinos. They demand more KYC from a journalist asking questions than from the companies actually using their payment terminals.

No KYC for Operators, But KYC for Journalists?

The hypocrisy here is staggering. Noda Pay seems to have zero issues processing payments for an illegal gambling platform, yet they insist on bureaucratic formalities when it comes to someone merely requesting accountability.

• Did they conduct proper KYC and AML checks on Versus Odds B.V. or Arteluna Limited before allowing them to use their terminals?
• Did they verify who was truly behind these operations, or did they blindly accept their “white label partner’s” claims?
• Have they now taken any steps to ensure this doesn’t happen again?

Silence.

Meanwhile, Noda Pay expects us to send them all our personal data to continue the conversation (the Company charter, Proof of Identity (POI) and Proof of Address (POA) for the beneficiary owners and directors). The irony would be amusing if it weren’t so outrageous.

The FCA, NCA and HMRC’s Failure to Act

Noda Pay holds an FCA license (Reference Number: 832969), meaning it has legal obligations under UK payment services laws and anti-money laundering regulations. But where is the Financial Conduct Authority in all this? Why are they allowing a regulated entity to provide payment solutions to an unlicensed gambling operation without consequences?

Let’s not forget about:

• The National Crime Agency (NCA) – Supposedly responsible for tackling financial crimes.
• HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) – Tasked with monitoring financial misconduct.

Yet, here we are, with a UK-registered payment provider actively facilitating unlicensed gambling transactions through an unregulated financial intermediary, with no repercussions.

If Noda Pay’s claim that they shut down the relevant terminals was true, why is their payment method still listed on Royal Stars Casino's payment page as of today? Their presence on these platforms contradicts their own statements.

A System Designed to Look the Other Way

Noda Pay’s case is not an isolated incident; it’s a symptom of a broken system. Payment providers continue to look the other way as long as the money keeps flowing. The regulatory bodies that should be stepping in simply don’t.

And when they do respond, it’s always the same weak, defensive excuse:

• “We didn’t approve this.”
• “Our logo is there without permission.”
• “We blocked them immediately.”

But the money has already changed hands. The damage is done. And if we hadn’t reached out, they would have continued processing transactions for these unlicensed casinos without a second thought.

The Bigger Question: Who Else Is Getting a Free Pass?

If Noda Pay, a company regulated by the FCA, can so easily facilitate payments for unlicensed gambling, who else is doing the same? And how many other payment providers are knowingly or unknowingly enabling financial crimes under the guise of compliance?

One can only wonder whether Noda Pay has fulfilled its legal obligation by reporting its unnamed white label partner to the relevant authorities for AML breaches; especially after being directly informed about its involvement in processing payments for an illegal gambling operation. Or is selective enforcement just another convenient oversight?

It’s time for actual enforcement. The FCA, NCA and HMRC must investigate and hold these companies accountable. Otherwise, they are complicit in this ongoing financial negligence.

Noda Pay claims they are victims of deception. If that’s true, they should welcome an investigation to clear their name. If not, it’s just another payment provider profiting from a system that rewards willful ignorance.

But hey, at least they replied to our emails.

FAQs

What is Noda Pay, and what does it do?
Noda Pay is a UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)-regulated payment service provider facilitating online transactions.

Why is Noda Pay under scrutiny?
Noda Pay has been linked to processing payments for unlicensed online gambling platforms operating illegally in regulated markets.

Which gambling platforms were involved in the controversy?
Noda Pay was associated with Versus Odds B.V. and Arteluna Limited, both operating under Curaçao’s jurisdiction without proper licenses.

What was Noda Pay’s response to the allegations?
Noda Pay claimed they were deceived by a “white label partner” and denied prior knowledge of their involvement in illegal gambling.

Why is Noda Pay’s due diligence being questioned?
Despite being an FCA-regulated entity, Noda Pay allegedly failed to conduct proper KYC and AML checks on its partners.

What role does the FCA play in this situation?
The FCA is responsible for regulating Noda Pay, yet it has not taken any visible enforcement action regarding these violations.

Why is Noda Pay still listed on Royal Stars Casino’s payment page?
Despite claiming to have shut down the terminals, Noda Pay’s payment method remains available on the casino’s website.

What regulatory bodies should be investigating this issue?
The FCA, National Crime Agency (NCA), and HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) should be addressing Noda Pay’s role in these transactions.

Is Noda Pay cooperating with authorities?
There is no public evidence that Noda Pay has reported its “white label partner” or taken accountability for its compliance failures.

What broader issues does this case highlight?
It exposes systemic flaws in financial oversight, where payment providers enable financial crimes with little regulatory enforcement.